Running With the Enemy

 1 Corinthians 2:1-2

"And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified."

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"

In his book titled "The Tragedy of Compromise", Ernest Pickering goes indepth on the dangers of laying sound doctrine aside for the sake of unity. He wrote during a period in church history in which there was a dramatic schism between Fundamentalists and the Neo-Evangelicals. 

The real tragedy of compromise is that when the true Gospel is watered down by adding works (which is what Catholicism does) to the finished work of Christ on Calvary, many are led down that broad path which leads to destruction. (Matthew 7:13)

Neo-Evangelicals, although their hearts may be in the right place, fail to recognize the fact that by associating with heresy in an attempt to win souls, they are actually contributing to the confusion. We all know who benefits when confusion is added to the mix.

1 Corinthians 14:33
"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

2 Corinthians 2:11
"lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices."

In an article titled "Billy Graham and Rome" on the Way of Life Literature website, we are given great insight into the dangers of the Ecumenism practiced by Neo-Evangelicals.

To emphasize this point we see in an excerpt from the article the following statement.

"Those who fellowship with Romanism put a stamp of approval--unwittingly, perhaps, but just as surely--upon the false gospel preached by their Roman Catholic friends."

It appears that those who advocate for Ecumenism have either overlooked scripture, or they "willingly are ignorant" of what Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:6-11,

"Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

The Bible is very clear, as well, that by holding hands with the world in an effort to advance the Gospel we, in effect, become the enemies of God. We see in James 4:4 the question that Neo-Evangelicals must address,

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

Here is a link to the aforementioned article from the ministry of David Cloud and The Way of Life Literature ministry.  

Billy Graham and Rome 

Let me close the same way the Apostle Paul does in his Epistle to the Romans. 

"To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen."  

My dear friend, if you have never received Christ as your Saviour, would you do so today? Pray this from your heart. 

Dear Jesus, I know I am a sinner. I believe you died on the cross for my sins. I believe you were buried and rose again the third day. I ask you now to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and save me. Amen